Evaporator and methods of using same

Abstract

An evaporator and methods of using the same are described herein. A vapor-compression refrigeration apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology utilizes a fluid refrigerant and can include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator arranged in succession and in fluid communication within a closed loop in order to circulate the fluid refrigerant. The apparatus can include at least one line within the closed loop in operable communication with the condenser for reducing temperature of at least a portion of the fluid refrigerant coming from the condenser prior to the fluid refrigerant entering the expansion device.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A vapor-compression refrigeration apparatus utilizing a fluid refrigerant and comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator arranged in succession and in fluid communication within a closed loop in order to circulate the fluid refrigerant, the apparatus comprising: at least one line within the closed loop in operable communication with the condenser for reducing temperature of at least a portion of the fluid refrigerant coming from the condenser prior to the fluid refrigerant entering the expansion device. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the at least one line within the closed loop in operable communication with the condenser traverses at least a portion of the evaporator prior to operable communication with the expansion device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a cooling device within the closed loop, interposed between the condenser and the expansion device, wherein the cooling device is operably linked to the at least one line disposed in operable communication with the condenser for reducing the temperature of at least a portion of the fluid refrigerant prior to the fluid refrigerant entering the expansion device. 
     
     
         4 . A method of increasing the efficiency of a vapor-compression refrigeration apparatus, the method comprising at least the step of: reducing temperature of at least a portion of fluid refrigerant exiting a condenser to a lower temperature prior to the fluid refrigerant entering the expansion device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising reducing the temperature of at least a portion the fluid refrigerant prior to the fluid refrigerant entering the expansion device by traversing at least a portion of the fluid refrigerant through at least a portion of the evaporator prior to entering the expansion device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising reducing the temperature of at least a portion of the fluid refrigerant prior to the fluid refrigerant entering the expansion device by traversing at least a portion of the fluid refrigerant through a cooling device. 
     
     
         7 . An evaporator comprising a plurality of coils wherein at least one of the plurality of coils comprises an inlet for receiving warm liquid refrigerant directly from a condenser. 
     
     
         8 . The evaporator of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the plurality of coils comprises a coil outlet that is capable of direct operable communication with an expansion device. 
     
     
         9 . The evaporator of  claim 7  wherein the at least one of the plurality of coils is configured to be directly linked to an expansion device via an expansion inlet line. 
     
     
         10 . An evaporator comprising a plurality of coils, wherein at least one of the plurality of coils is configured within the evaporator so fluid refrigerant traverses at least a portion of the evaporator in a direction substantially opposite the flow direction of the refrigerant through the remaining plurality of coils. 
     
     
         11 . An evaporator comprising a plurality of coils, wherein at least one of the plurality of coils is configured within the evaporator so fluid refrigerant traverses at least a portion of the evaporator in a direction substantially opposite of refrigerant flowing through a remaining plurality of coils. 
     
     
         12 . An evaporator comprising a plurality of coils housed inside a radiator frame and a sub-cooling coil that is external to and in close proximity or contact with the radiator frame, wherein the sub-cooling coil is configured to receive refrigerant from a condenser and to deliver refrigerant to an expansion device.